Marked
by Cloud Ishida
Summary: What one thinks of obsession, another perceives it as passion, a drive--their focus in life. Like a disease it infects its host, comes in all shapes and forms. And Robin is having first hand experience, even if he doesn't realize it.
1. Act I: Absolute

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Teen Titans or any of its characters...damnit. No profit gained...damnit all to hell. 

**Warnings:**   
Spoilers for the episode "Masks"; includes dialogue from "Masks."  
Couple of swearing  
Possible OOC

It is HIGHLY recommended that you watch "Masks" before reading this, obviously because of spoilers and also because I have assumed that the reader will know the situations that occurred to smoothly transition from scene to scene in this story. 

Also, if I decide to continue on with this story, **there is a possibility that this story may take the yaoi/slash road**, without the sex...then I should say shounen ai shouldn't I? Bah, I just can't write hot steamin' action or else I'd probably go into giggle-fits. That and I find that if you don't do it right, sex will utterly destroy a story. 

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**Marked**  
By Cloud Ishida 

**Act I: Absolute**

_"They were merely the messengers. And the message has been received."_  
- Slade, Final Exam 

Who is Slade? 

The million dollar question; the mystery of mysteries. 

Who. Is. Slade. 

_The_ question. 

It rolls off the tongue like the porcelain liquid rolling down a fine whisker of a cat, furiously lapping cold milk to quench its thirst. 

Like the song of a morning bird chirping its tune in fluid notes before it takes flight for its daily routine. 

In this case, a Robin. 

His first encounter with this, _Slade_, left much to be desired for. The detective in him would not, _could not_, let anything go unanswered. 

Who is Slade. 

It has become more of a statement then a question now. That day the Titans were battling the giant fire-demon, that man who manipulated the two elemental brothers... The memory of the face behind the mask of the old man, and his aging shell of an exterior chipping away to reveal the young, sleek metal underneath; its eye was looking straight at him, piercing into him. 

Wanting him. 

Of course, that last was labelled as a trick of his imagination in his mind; a misinterpretation that our imperfect memory is plagued with. But something was there. And the detective in him demanded to know what that _something_ is. 

If Slade thinks he can take down the Titans as easily as he thought in that last battle, he was sorely mistaken. Robin will make sure he'll be mistaken. He'll discover the motive, the means, the goal, everything--the way he was raised to analyze, research, conclude, justice. 

All these thoughts, all these questions, danced around his head as he walked unconsciously down the hallway to the grand gathering area of the Tower. The kitchen, living room, communications all compacted together in the spacious room. 

Robin arrived in time to catch Raven standing at the doorway, just taking a step forward as the doors slid open in its quiet hiss. Noticing that her team-mate and leader walking towards her, she stood at the doorway, forcing the doors to stay opened. As Robin approached, he glanced through the door to see that Beast Boy, Starfire and Cyborg were already assembled and waiting for the last two Titans to join them. Star's unyielding cheer in her voice and Beast Boy's resounding laughter rebounded off the interior walls. Cyborg was standing before the giant window screen, with what looked like random maps flashing by on its glaring surface. 

"...pre-occupied?" 

An emotionless stir of sound invaded his ears. "Huh?" 

His eyes shot towards the source of the voice. Raven, hood down and arms crossed, waited for Robin to enter through the still-opened doors. 

Slighting shaking his head and without another word, Robin walked along side Raven, through the doors, down the stairs, and joined the rest of the Titans. 

Starfire greeted Raven with her usual delightful cheer, a personality that the normally pale lady had gotten used to and accepted since that Puppet King fiasco. The brightest Star on the team spurred her optimistic smile on the young leader, "Good evening to you Robin. I have not seen you all day." No one but Robin caught it, but the subtle expression of disappointment mixed within her last words. 

Confronted with such innocence, Robin could do nothing but smile back, "Had some work that's been piling up that I needed to take care of. But since I've finished up loose ends, I'll be having more free time." His smile earned him a larger grin from Starfire. 

"So, what's the word, Cy?" Beast Boy initiated the meeting to the question at hand. "I was about to make my famous tofu-loaf and salad for dinner." Amusement gathered on his face as he watched Cyborg's contort to disgust, and a slight shade of green. 

The cybernetic teen shook the thought of the dreaded simulated white jell-o from his mind. "Before I barf from that nasty image in my head," A quick glance at Beast Boy was returned with, as Starfire put it, "razzing of the berries." Cyborg push of a button on the control panel, stopping the flashing screen to the city map of the downtown area nearest to the town lake and continued with his debriefing, "I got a lead that a big robbery is about to take place tonight." He turned his attention to the rest of the Titans. "Slade is supposedly behind it." 

Immediately Robin stepped forward to stand beside Cyborg, eyes behind the mask burrowing deep into the screen. "Where?" 

Another click and the map now held a blinking red dot marking a building closest to the lake. "It's an electronics lab specializing in computer technology." Cyborg added. 

"Wonderful!" Starfire chimed in, "Maybe we will now be able to decipher Slade's motives!" 

"I don't think it'll be that easy." Raven contradicted in her calm demeanour emanating maturity. "He sent the HIVE before, and most likely Plasmus as well." 

"AND manipulated both Thunder and Lightning." Beast Boy caught on to Raven's line of thought. "Not exactly big on the hands-on approach, is he? " 

"Most likely he won't be there in person." Cyborg concluded for the two. "But that can 


	2. Act II: Probably

**Disclaimer****:** Me no own Teen Titans.

Yes I've decided to continue with the story, and boy, this chapter is long. Too long it seems. If you don't fall asleep reading this and keep you remotely entertained, then I have done my job.

Thank you for your reviews for the first chapter. Many insecurities about it seemed unnecessary after reading your wonderful comments. I hope this and the coming chapters live up to your expectations. (I've hopefully fixed all the "weird" letters that popped up instead of apostrophes in Ch. 1)

The warning of possible yaoi/slash in the future is still in effect!! If not hinted in this chapter already ;… Also, rating may increased to R status… So undecided I am;;

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**Marked - Act II: **Probably  
By Cloud Ishida

_"A dream is a dream that never changes  
A dream is a dream that never changes"  
_-"get out from the SHELL", L'arc-en-ciel

The silky evening wrapped around the city, and in return, the street lights illuminated the night sky. Clusters of stars lost their glow against the artificial lights into faint glimmers of forgotten memories. Not even the vigorous, synthetic lights could dim every memory.

A star of betrayal is especially resistant.

It was days after Red X, and the daylight came and went with only a word or two exchanged between the Titans--minus their leader. No one has seen Robin all day, but no one except Starfire tried extra hard to look for him. Even then her attempts to soften her words from before were left in the dark.

Robin and Slade similar? Just moments after leaving the dark room, Starfire regretted those words. She realized the power words held as she struggled and persistently learned to understand the complex language of her friends. Perhaps, her regretted words were equal to the yells of the other Titans versus Robin. Perhaps, her comment was the loudest voice of all.

The morning after Starfire initiated a conversation with Robin, though an atmosphere of disconcertion did remain. Gradually he became more relaxed as the conversation continued onto the little things, but a part of her knew, he was still holding back. A part of her still didn't want to acknowledge what happened, and a part of him was still immersed in the mistake he has made and the reason for it.

Starfire wandered around the halls again as she did last few nights, hoping to bump into someone to keep her company for more than a simple hello. Obviously the other Titans wanted to avoid the issue, and they all knew Starfire will speak of it the moment her sad green eyes laid upon them. Normally, if something as emotional as this overwhelmed her, she relied on Robin for explanations and to show her the bright side of things. But now that that one constant pillar has crippled her foundations, who could she turn to?

With no "boundless joy" to motivate her flight, Starfire walked aimlessly until her feet lead her absently to the rooftop. There as the night was high, Raven hovered as she meditated with her dark cloak matching the night sky perfectly.

"Raven?" Stafire squeaked. "I hope I am not disturbing you...?"

A shallow sigh escaped Raven's lips. Her meditating was going so well since the last few days to be interrupted by irreverent questions. "Not anymore." Deciding to quit meditating for the day, she floated back down to the rooftop without betraying a look of annoyance.

"Oh." Starfire managed. She could take hint that she did indeed disturb her. "I am sorry for interrupting but, the others do not seem to want any company and--"

"And you thought me, of all people, would want some?" A dark eyebrow lifted.

Starfire shyly shrugged, "Well, rather, I was not looking for a particular person because anyone will do to initiate some sort of conversation but my feet seem to have a mind of their own and lead me here and well here you are and--"

"Starfire."

The young alien abruptly lifted her head, "Yes?"

"You're babbling." Raven stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh." She managed again.

Crossing her arms, Raven sighed again. This time, it was loud and clear with irritation. "What is it you'd like to ask?"

Fidgeting with her fingers, the taller teen decided to ask outright. She never was this nervous before when talking with Raven. Maybe... Maybe this whole ordeal with her and Robin's relationship has affected her more than she assumed. "I was contemplating...wondering, if you would let me join you in your task of meditation...?" The last rise in intonation sounded more like a squeak than confidence; one of which she was definitely not feeling.

Despite her irritation, Raven was somewhat surprised by the request. "...Promise to be quiet?" She asked with relaxed empathy.

Starfire floated slightly off the floor, Raven's acceptance of her request giving some fuel of joy to fly with. "Oh yes!" Green eyes spotted a dark boot tapping on the floor. A little too loud of a "thank you" she surmised. "I mean to say, I will." she whispered.

============================================

It was the dead of night, just past three o'clock in the morning when Raven decided to stop meditating and head for bed. Starfire decided to return to her room at midnight, thanking Raven for spending time with her (even if it was in silence) for so long.

So it was only be sheer coincidence that Raven happened upon Robin.

An array of grunts and battle cries from a voice too tired to silence them anymore echoed from the exercise room. As if to emphasize the breathing melody, the shadows portrayed by him danced in synchrony under the blaze of the room's florescent lights.

Normally, Raven would have just left Robin alone to his activities. Like the unspoken respect he gave to her need to be alone with privacy in her room to set her thoughts in a somewhat harmonic state. But a lifetime of controlling emotion, Raven was slowly but surly becoming an expert at perceiving other's emotion, whether she liked it or not.

She stood at the doorway, arms crossed with a hard neutral expression on her face. The artificial lights highlighted her face excessively than needed. Her eyes darted to wherever Robin landed and pounced at the heavy sandbag hanging from the ceiling, punching with bare hands. Every movement spoke volumes.

Concentration.

Frustration.

Indignation.

"Shit!" Robin clutched his right wrist as the word seemed to echo through the room. He realized he had put in more weight than he intended into that last punch. Holding the obvious sprained if not broken wrist to his chest, the other hand probed the injured area instinctively.

"Any louder and you would have woken up the others." Raven remarked at Robin's choice of words.

Robin turned on his heels with much more speed than needed. Adrenaline already running high seemed to sky rocket at the sound of a voice at the door way. Just how long was she standing there? More importantly, why didn't he notice anyone watching him? Sneaking up on Robin was a formidable task only one person he knew was able to accomplish without fail, and he was in Gotham. "Raven..." He managed to steady his ragged breathing.

The flash of surprise on Robin's face didn't go past her senses. "Robin."

"Just working out." The young leader blurted before he thought. As if trying to find an excuse for something. "Couldn't sleep?" Whether that was question himself or to her was left to interpretation.

Raven's face stayed neutral, but uncrossed her arms; a sign that what she heard wasn't exactly what she expected. "Catching up on quiet time."

"Catching up? I thought it was too quiet for some time now." Taking a towel with his free hand, Robin wiped the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He conveniently left out the reason for the abrupt quietness at the Tower.

She noticed the slight flinch on his lips as he settled his crippled arm to the side, to hide the fact his wrist must be injured. Even as she walked over to him, every precise, graceful step mirrored an illusion of a floating maiden of darkness. "Give me your hand."

A look of puzzlement wrinkled under the mask. "Huh?"

"Your wrist is injured." An arm rose from under the cloak, as if expecting an offering.

The other pursed his lips. "I'm fine."

On a tired night, stubbornness was not something to deal with in a sensitive matter. Without diminishing her glare at him, Raven decided to go straight pushing the sensitive buttons. "If there was an emergency call, do you want to be a liability on a mission?"

Immediately the boy's mouth opened, diving for a quick retort, but stopped with mouth hanging. After years of experiencing her to-the-point attitude personally and as a witness Robin still wasn't one-hundred percent used to it. And right now, the others had the right to mouth him off a little bit more. Though any more below the belt hits would end up with the young leader's pride doing the talking.

Looking from her hand to her eyes and back, Robin gingerly placed his sensitive wrist in the care of the other. Raven raised her other hand and with a whisper, caste her incantation. A black aura slithered from her hand to Robin's, feeling the laces of torn muscles regrouping and connecting themselves around bone beneath the flesh. When the blackness receded, only a dull reminder of faintly blue and purple skin remained.

Robin rubbed his wrist, feeling the sharp pain from before now a lull ache at the pressure of his fingers. "Thanks."

"It'll be bruised for a day or two. Punched any harder and you would have broken it beyond my healing. Though it doesn't seem to be as bad as last time." Raven replaced her arms in the cover of her cloak.

"Hey, I recall that 'last time' was because you slammed me in the wall during training." What should have been defensive words came out as a relaxed nostalgia.

She was still holding the neutral expression, but an edge of relaxation outlined her features. "I did not."

Seeing the reminder of the stress of the past events released from her face, in the back of Robin's mind, he was relieved to know it was not a one sided tension. That the possibility that the others were just as uncomfortable to talk as he was. "Did too. Photographic memory." He tapped the side of his temple.

"It was not that much harder than any other of our training." She quipped in her typical Raven-fashion, but like her relaxed eyes, her voice was casual. "And you said not to hold back."

Robin looked up with a mild surprise of her remembering it. "So I did." Her attempts at making "light" of their talk did not go unnoticed. Raven, the no-bullshit, tell-it-like-it-is member of the team is bantering. If she was willing to take that level, maybe, just maybe, the others didn't hate him after all. "I said a lot of things lately, haven't I?"

"I would think it's more of what you didn't say." Raven countered without the animosity Robin expected since this meeting. But the truth did the job of inviting tension again.

Silence crept in the room like a morning fog suddenly appearing in the cover of night. Sufficient to say, the two were never good at what one would call a "normal" chat. Or hold a conversation long enough to call it a conversation. But then, they also knew what was expected of each other, fighting-wise and socially.

And since it looked as if the leader wasn't about to add anything, Raven decided it would be best to just leave him to his privacy. But taking another glance at his profile, there was an outline of something that was there and not at the same time. Empathy nagged behind her brain sensing part of his attention was caught in another world. It would be so much easier to leave and let him brood. But, that wouldn't be a "friendly" thing to do... Moreover, Starfire might continue to badger her for attention if Robin kept this up. With a mental sigh, she decided to continue their talk. "Though, I do admit, I must have been... distracted, by something to let go that much."

Robin was almost caught off guard at Raven's attempt at resuming small talk. "What?"

"That time we trained." Raven continued. "I guess I lost my temper."

Ever so slightly, Robin smiled despite himself from the memory. "The combination of a Beast Boy and April first does have that effect."

"I don't recall you being caught by his rain of terror."

"It's a perk of being a Robin." Confidence dripped with that statement. But faded from his lips fast. "I guess we have one thing in common."

Raven furled her brow.

"We both have anger issues."

_Both?_ Paranoia and secrecy may be Robin's trademark, but the sorcerer rarely remembered a time when he really lost his temper. The fact he admitted what can be considered a weakness was an alarm on its own. "Robin, are you alright?"

Breaking eye contact, Robin continued to wipe sweat from his brow. "Nothing that a good night's rest won't cure." _Lame excuse Robin, _he berated himself. _Not even Starfire would have believed that lie_. "So... How is everyone?" The Teen Wonder reached for his gloves, back turned to his night visitor.

Raven could take the hint. Avoiding issues is one of Robin's many skills. "Why don't you ask them yourself?"

His back slightly curved, shoulders slightly turning inwards, "For once, I'm at a complete loss as to what to say."

That earned him a raised eyebrow from Raven. "Why not just say what you asked me? They are worried about you." _Even if they will shut up about it,_ she mentally added.

"Actually, Starfire and I did talk. Though, I think both of us were avoiding the issue. Kinda more awkward than I expected. Beast Boy seems to be taking everything in ok." Robin turned and gestured that he was heading back to his room. Raven followed out into the hallway, shutting off the lights to the Training Room. "I have to admit, I didn't expect talking to you after what happened to be this pleasant, if at all... No offense intended."

If Raven was a normal girl, or Starfire, she would have smiled. "None taken."

So instead, Robin smiled for the both of them. "Night, Raven." And he headed for his room.

"Goodnight, Robin." Raven walked down the opposite way to her room.

============================================

"Look, let's just drop it." Cyborg rose from his seat. It was suppose to be a relaxing Sunday morning watching the television. Instead, another discussion managed to slip through to his ears. "It's done and over with. End of discussion."

Starfire, ever the diplomat, had a duel role of negotiator and instigator since the event. Every opportunity she received, she would try to communicate with her teammates to help resolve whatever it was that needed resolving. "But Cyborg, I understand that it has only been days since the...incident--but we cannot continue like this if we are to interact efficiently with each other." A pleading tone draped her voice that at first worked with the others when the problem was fresh in their minds, but the discussions constantly ended with everyone worse off than before.

But they were teenagers, no matter how super-powered they may be. When life overwhelms and can't react because of youthful inexperience, what can a teenager do? One answer that permeates the mind is to have time to heal and deal. The tiny break that they needed was something an emotional, naive Starfire could not understand so easily. If something precious as friendship was being threatened, she felt it was a duty to mend what is broken before time corrodes its foundations to the point it would collapse beyond repair. So mature and astute in one way, but ignorant and determined in too many other ways.

"Exactly what is there to resolve? We yelled, we forgave." Cyborg lowered his face closer to Starfire's, almost reaching nose to nose to each other. "_You're_ the one who keeps bringing it up!" Once those words left his mouth, when he saw the hurt in Starfire's eyes, he almost regretted his words. Almost.

In front of the windows, Raven hovered quietly while she meditated; rather she was meditating until the argument began. As the voices in the background grew louder, her concentration became more erratic. The idea of sealing mouths shut with darkness sprinkled her thoughts from time to time but, of course, never acted upon the impulses. But even if in her meditative state the "unhealthy" emotions arose, the discussion has gone sour long enough. She uncrossed her legs and lowered herself to the red carpeted floor with anything but amusement etched into her features. "If you're going through this again, do it outside. Away from me." Raven walked down the stairs, though the way her legs used more pressure than usual, causing mild stomps to resound across the carpeted floor.

A sound of gears grinding echoed as Cyborg turned his head to the group's obligatory goth, "Last time I checked, this isn't your room." He lifted his chin up in defiance.

"It's not a matter of whose room it is." Raven arrived between the mechanic and the emerald-eyed lady, arms crossed to cage her annoyance. "We have been through this over and over again." She directed her words to Cyborg, "And we end up with not talking to one another for the rest of the day." Next she turned her eyes to the tallest female Titan. "Just say what you want to say now and be done with it."

No one noticed Beast Boy just arriving into the grand room to catch the sight of a "healthy dose of discussion" through his blurry, sleep-filled eyes. He raised a hand to his forehead, gently massaging away the morning headache that now intensified by the all too familiar conversation. It wasn't that they all pretended it never happened, but what was there to say when the things that needed to be said were spoken. How far can you string along a delicate subject before the thread breaks from the strain?

"See?" Cyborg mocked. "Even Raven's on my side on this." A smile creeping to his lips.

"And as for you," Raven turned her stare to Cyborg, "talk to Robin."

His eyes unconsciously widened by the demand, "What?!"

If she was any other person, Raven would have thought all this talking around the subject was laughable. Or the image of Raven the counselor was the joke that would make anyone think the world is finally coming to an end. "Even on the night we were yelling at Robin, you were the first to leave, and frankly too quiet to be normal. It was obvious you didn't say what you wanted and still haven't." The normally stoic attitude was making too much sense.

"And who made YOU the team psychologist?!" Cyborg yelled.

"Since you were taking your frustration in your garage, and on us."

It sounded as if gears were working overdrive in Cyborg's head. Who was she to tell him what to do? He said what he said and that should be the end of it. And yet...

Metal shoulders dipping into defeat, though Cyborg didn't notice it himself.

Nothing to say. What is there to say?

On the sidelines of the fight, Beast Boy, with his arms crossed behind his back, observed the verbal action. He opened his mouth but closed it with a chomp of his teeth. A snide remark at this particular moment wouldn't be such a good idea. Instead he silently watched, not wanting to add more wood to the fire, but mostly because no one noticed his presence yet. Feeling a stomach growl coming on, and seeing most of the group gathered, the changeling exited the room to collect their leader and make them all a breakfast that will either lighten them up or shut them up.

============================================

"Hey Robin! You want some break--" Much to Beast Boy's surprise, no one was in the Training Room. "--fast?... Funny, he always trains the first thing in the morning..." Assuming that he must be sleeping in, which he noted was unusual, Beast Boy headed for the Boy Wonder's room.

From an outsider's point of view, one would get the impression that Beast Boy forgave and forgot about Red X. And that was fine by him. He knew for himself that he didn't forget, nor completely forgave, but dwelling on what have been and what should be wasn't how he wanted to live his teen life. What happened can't be erased, so what else can you do but to work with what you have in order to rise above mistakes? Though, he was guilty of not always following his own rule, but then, no one was perfect as his experiences as a Titan obviously pointed out.

_Besides, Robin learned his lesson; no way would it ever happen again. Robin's crazy, not stupid_.

Upon arriving at Robin's door, Beast Boy knocked with a morning greeting, "Yo, Robin! It's BB. You better roll your butt out of bed if you want my scrambled tofu specialty."

No reply.

"Dude I know it's Sunday but if I can grudgingly get up so can you."

Again no reply.

This time he pounded on the door as loud as he could and after a solid minute, there was still no reply. So he combined both tactics. He continued to bombard the door with his fist and yelling over the noise, "You know I'll keep doing this 'till you wake up. It works on Cy, and it'll work on--"

Suddenly the doors slid open and Beast Boy caught his arm to a halt before he dealt Robin a blow to the head. "Morning to you too." Robin greeted with a grumble.

"Well you took your sweet time! I've been banging on your door for..." Beast Boy almost lost his train of thought from the figure before him. Sweat pasted hair against forehead, skin almost pale white; rapid breathes signaling that he was catching his breath. "Uh, are you ok? You don't look so good..." _And have a bad, bad case of bed hair._

Robin straightened his slouched back, realizing that his hand was resting on the wall to support his weight. "I'm fine. What did you want?"

_Morning person we are not_, Beast Boy acknowledged to himself. "Came by to see if you wanted brunch and since you weren't in the Training Room as usual--"

"I'm not hungry." With an abrupt turn Robin headed back towards the bed.

Now Beast Boy's brain was about to explode. "C'mon this is totally unlike you!" He caught the doors before they completely shut, shifting through as a snake and reverted back behind the taller teen who was already lying in bed. "I know people mope around after these things happen but get over it! Everyone is either yelling their freakin' heads off, ignoring each other, or just plain evading everything!" An accusing finger pointed at the boy lying in bed emphasized the last statement. And despite the mask, the green teen knew the other's eyes were still open. In fact, he looked as if he didn't sleep much at all.

Slowly, Robin sat up from the bed, ungloved hands holding onto the blanket. The faint blue discoloration of his wrist was accentuated against the white cover. Drying sweat and the slight shaking of his shoulders betrayed his shallow, rapid breaths he was trying to hide. "What do you mean yelling?"

_Good_, the changeling thought, _at least he's talking back_. "Right now it's Round 15 of Star versus Cy. Star's pretty much in the mother-hen mode. Or bratty little sister." The changeling smiled to show the last remark was meant as affection than complaining, but the Titans' leader didn't even notice. Too preoccupied with something else.

Slowly Robin's heart returned to regular beats though the images of an ungrateful night still lingered in his mind. Dark landscape, a moonless night, the chase, the fight--and the laugh.

That laugh.

Robin felt a shift on his bed but didn't bother to see Beast Boy had sat at the edge, eyes with concern than many didn't get to witness. "Dude... Robin, you're kinda freaking me out with the silent angst thing. I mean, more than usual." He tilted his head lower to catch the other's face under the bangs. "Look we may have been harsh on you about Red X but you know why we said what we--"

"That's not--" He cut himself short. Absently, Robin brushed his fingers passed the still bruised wrist, "It's just a dream." He whispered as if to convince himself.

"Dream?" Dark green eyes followed the other's fingers to catch the bruise. "Dude what happened with your wrist?"

"Nothing." was the empty reply.

Allocating his observations since he entered the room, Beast Boy hypothesized in his head. "Did you have a nightmare?" When Robin didn't answer, the shorter Titan continued to probe, see how far he could go because Robin looked like he needed a push. "Must have been something bad if you're this freaked."

Robin looked up with a glare that could be felt despite the mask, "I am NOT freaked out."

Sighing, Beast Boy crossed his arms, "Right, tell that to the mirror." _Maybe, pushing right now wasn't the best for anyone._ "Hey, if you wanna talk about it..." He let the offer hang in the air; it was up to Robin to take it.

"Thanks." With a breath of all too easy a defeat, Robin politely accepted the offer. Whether he would use it was another matter from the look of doubt shouting from Beast Boy's face. "Really, thanks. I'll think about it."

Although he knew Robin would never follow through to use his offer, there was nothing he can do now but make things worse if he kept walking into a stubborn wall. "Good. But I do have a request." Beast Boy stood up and scratched the back of his head. "You'd better talk to Cyborg cause the chance he'll come talk to you is nil at the moment."

As if miming the other teen's gesture, Robin rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't think he wants to see me." Cyborg was too much a quiet giant when everyone expected him to be the loudest of them all.

"You wanted to take down Slade on your own but that didn't make it right." Seeing hands clenching the sheets tighter, Beast Boy gave himself a mental slap. _Bad choice of referencing Beastie Boy._ "Ya know what I mean. Now c'mon!"

"What? Talk to him _now_?"

"No. Eat now." He flashed his green grin, "You're hungry aren't ya? And it's been a while since we all ate together."

And it was that moment when Robin's stomach commanded loudly for him to get off his ass and feed, not even remembering when the last time he ate. "Uh, maybe a bite or two would be a good idea." Flipping the blanket aside, he stretched his legs out of bed. "Though, are you sure the others won't mind?"

"Dude, less thinking, more listening." Beast Boy rounded behind Robin and pushed him out the bedroom into the hallway. "Just be your Robin self and everything will go as usual."

Robin took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, releasing some of the memories of the images of the past few nights. "Making your infamous tofu omelette?"

Wiggling his eyebrows, Beast Boy marched ahead, "Is that an order for the Chef de la Short 'n Handsome?"

Smirking, Robin followed behind, "Wouldn't be a bad way to start the day."

============================================

Robin found himself before the doors to the garage shop in the afternoon, with a little bit less weight burdening his shoulders, but still feeling the pressure.

Brunch went more smoothly than he or anyone imagined, though that could be in thanks to Beast Boy's influence. Starfire also participated in softening the mood, offering a seat beside her to Robin and initiating in talks that would try to include him to the group conversations.

It started off silent, with Beast Boy busy cracking tofu. As expected, Starfire wholeheartedly greeted him, Raven nodded his presence, and Cyborg... Well, a normal "hey" was his good morning.

But all five eventually talked as if normality returned, with the usual jokes and usual mock arguments. But the presence of dead air between Cyborg and Robin was always present.

Soon after finishing his meal, the half-human left for the gym. The others stayed behind to help Robin clean and dry the dishes. It was his day to wash the dishes after all.

During this time Beast Boy though it was a good idea to point out that their leader should talk to Cyborg now lest they drag him over to talk. Starfire supported the suggestion, and even Raven (in another rare occurrence), agreed with Beast Boy.

So here he was standing at the doors of the garage where Cyborg was there working on his on-going project, the T-Car.

And avoiding.

Not that Robin was innocent of doing that either. Swallowing excessive pride, Robin knocked on the large doors.

When there was no reply, Robin took a chance and entered without permission and walked towards Cyborg working under the car. He stood several steps away as if establishing a danger zone. "Hey."

Tools that rang out the music of metal against metal stopped, and slowly Cyborg rolled out to sit up towards his visitor. "Hey."

_Well, at least I have his attention,_ Robin mocked himself. Now how to continue after establishing contact was another hurdle to overcome. "You want any help?"

"No, I've finished up anyways." Standing up straight, Cyborg grabbed an already dirty towel to wipe away the oil smothering his hands. Conveniently his back was turned to his shorter teammate.

Mimicking his movements earlier in the day, Robin rubbed the back of his neck as the awkward atmosphere was thick enough to suffocate. Fights between he and Cyborg were nothing new. Sometimes immature, sometimes serious, but always resolved by the end of the day. So neither one having little to no experience in this type of situation was a major determent to two strong-headed Titans locking horns.

"I wanted to say... I'm sorry for--"

"Damn right you should be sorry." A statement made to be yelled came out almost barely audible too the other. "What you did was a paranoid, self-righteous, stupid, arrogant, devious plan you have ever concocted." The pressure from holding those words finally spat out like missiles.

Despite the tension of emotionally not knowing how to act and react, Robin hypothesized Cyborg's reaction with logic beforehand. But logic was worthless in the face of live emotion. "What I did was a mistake." His voice solidified into a shaky determination. "And I don't intend to do it again."

Then things were quiet again as the each were absorbing what they heard, or perhaps, what they didn't' hear. "Ya know, it got me thinking. Most likely, that wasn't the worse of what you can think up, is it?"

Silence answered for Robin.

Sighing in defeat, Cyborg threw the towel over his shoulder, landing gently onto a rack with precision. "Right, dumb question."

For minutes stretching like hours, the two stood in the florescent lit room. Robin shifted his gaze to the floor, taking in the scene of motor oil mimicking an array of Rorschach Tests among the loose screws and tools.

Funny how all the blobs look like bats.

Crinkling his brow, he peeked up at Cyborg, who was busy with his own avoidance of eye to eye contact, staring up at the ceiling. From the expression on his face, anger was still one of the top influences of his speech at the moment. As if feeling the peek on him, the half-mechanical teen caught the other's eyes behind the mask but refused to turn away. Robin averted the eye-lock for the both of them, and continued his analyzing of the blots.

Definitely look like bats.

It was a rare site very few, even the Titans witness, if they were nosy enough. It was a scene between a child caught red-handed committing a cruel prank and his guardian considering the appropriate punishment. The child holding his head in shame, the adult looking on with disappointment. It would be amusing if the situation was actually funny. As the unofficial big brother of the group, there are times when even Cyborg could, and would, speak out a reprimand on the leader when necessary. Right now, the fact that Robin was under his thumb, showing actually humility was a punishment Cyborg knew was effective against the Boy Wonder. Damaging pride equated to breaking an arm.

"You whipped our butts pretty bad."

Slowly, Robin raised his head. He figured it would be best not to reply to that particular statement.

"And you just happened to calculate an exact flaw in each of us."

Or to that one.

"Let me guess. Contingency plan, am I right?"

_Damnit Cyborg, say something that I'll be able to respond to,_ Robin snapped in his head. As apologetic he may be, sleepless nights and restless days shortened his endurance for patience. And Cyborg repeating facts of un-debatable truth wasn't helping.

"You used us, attacked us, and humiliated us, all to get to Slade." Cyborg crossed his arms. "Now how do you expect us to give you one-hundred and one percent trust in you again?"

Oh that was it. Humility was lost by the utterance of that statement. "I was NOT working f_or_ _Slade_! I did it _for _the _team_!" Hands curled into rock-like fists and Robin was impervious to their shaking from the sudden bolt of anger raging for release. "I understand that you want to yell at me and belittle me, but THAT is _more_ than out of line!"

Whatever residue of anger and resentment fluttered away by the outburst. Cyborg didn't know what he was taken by surprise more: the emotionally charged bomb of a self-defense being displayed, or the Freudian slip. Though, he realized, his own wording wasn't helpful either. "I didn't say that you were working _for_ him." He saw the flinch in Robin's posture, obviously realizing what he just said and his unfounded anger towards his friend. "Now that question really needs answering. Trust is a fragile thing, Robin. And as it pains me to say this, _you_ took advantage of it, no matter how good your intentions were."

Robin unconsciously pulled his left leg back, to steady himself from the blind-siding remark.

_Trust is easy to destroy..._

The remarks too much like what he had the displeasure of hearing from that all too-confident voice.

_Trust is easy to destroy..._

His voice echoed inside his head, rebounding off the walls of his skull. Just as the image of himself under that half black, half bronze mask in his dreams wouldn't leave him alone.

And that laugh.

Robin felt his blood run cold. His body slouched low enough for the rolled edges of his cape to float down to cover his shoulders and upper arms completely, but fists still remained stone.

A sign of defiance.

Cyborg looked on with confusion and concern. If there was one aspect of the Titan leader that no one else on the team could come close to mastering, self brooding would be it. Raven might have a chance, but it was casually natural for her. Robin took it a new level, to a form of art.

The young leader felt a touch of cold metal but an aura of warmth on his shoulder. He didn't even notice when the taller Titan approached to stand in front of him. Robin didn't want to admit it. It was getting to him. The dream that should only be a dream was getting to him.

"You alright?" Cyborg asked.

An unexpected grunt of amusement answered back without looking up, fists relaxing. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Well, I guess the fact we are asking is a reason in itself." Cyborg waited for an explanation, which was a stupid thing to do considering this is Robin. "So, are you alright?"

"……probably."

The taller Titan stood still by the unexpected response. "_Probably_?"

Robin didn't go further than that because for the first time in a long time, he wasn't quite sure of himself. If he was going back to brooding, Cyborg couldn't break down that wall. He had to wait for Robin to open the door for him.

Patting the shoulder once, Cyborg turned and took a seat on some flat, discarded scrap metal. He flexed his arm, clasping and unclasping a fist as if testing out a product. His arm responded semi-smoothly, with moments of awkward stops and jerky movements from his hand to his arm. "Stupid arm. Been glitched up since... well you know."

Finally raising his head, Robin slowly walked over to Cyborg, watching the arm move smoothly enough only to hit speed bumps in mid-air. And he knew exactly whose fault that was. He could apologize again, though that wasn't enough. It was a start but never a finisher in fixing friendships. Hacking into a person was something not so easily forgivable. Instead, Robin chose a method he knew best.

Action. "I could help out..."

Letting the offer simmer in Robin's sweat, Cyborg cracked a smile and pointed a thumb to his back.

The masked leader returned the smile. Taking a seat behind the half-human, the compartment on Cyborg's back slid open exposing the sensitive circuitry that was part of the core of him. Gloved fingers gingerly probed for the possible source of the problem in the order Red X systematically shut down.

Fingers feathering through the wires were a tickle on Cyborg's nerves. Robin was the only other Titan with enough extensive knowledge of his machine-half, second only to Cyborg himself. Raven, co-working with the Titan leader on computer works, was quickly becoming an expert with enough knowledge to at least fix the basics of Cyborg's hardware that night.

"Forgot to mention, you're an asshole for glitching me in the first place." Cyborg smirked.

Robin relaxing his shoulders took the bait. "Being a teen, I'd say it's a prerogative to be an ass sometimes." He found the possible problem near the surface of the circuit board, and proceeded to fix what he broke.

"Remind me to go prerogative on your ass as payback." Cyborg could already feel the tiny changes tingling in his arm.

This time, the young leader grinned with amusement for amusement's sake. Something he hasn't done for days now. And just as soon as he remembered the past few days, the rain cloud stormed over his head again.

There was something eating away at his brain that needed to be said. As a leader, and as a friend.

"If it happens again..." Robin started. He could feel his patient tense up as he continued to manipulate the wires. "I mean, if any one of us crosses the line--"

"That is not gonna happen." The flat reply urged for cessation of the direction this was going.

But it had to be said. The image of green gloves grasping Slade's collar compelled him to say it. The disturbing image of stone monuments lying in ruins warned him to prepare the others. And his face under that mask sealed his decision. As a leader, it was his burden to establish definitive rules for the benefit of the team. At least, that's what he was told on the last night Red X made an appearance. "If that happens..."

"Look I don't want to hear any more of your damn contingency plans!"

"Cyborg… Please…..."

Brown lips froze in their retort by something he never, ever, expected from the most prideful, arrogant, competitive person he'd ever met.

A plea.

"If it happens again, do whatever it takes."

Lost in their thoughts, neither realized the slithering of gas flooding the room, and the rest of the tower.

============================================

Running and flapping, flapping and running in an endless loop.

A chase lasting a lifetime in this world where all things are nothing and everything.

Where the establishment of predator and prey yields no fruit; where only the chase is the satiating nourishment.

They hunt each other for an eternity, cross each other in fractions of a moment.

Finally, the Songbird and the Raptor reach the four pillars as their final battle ground.

Both beating their wings with the desperation to conquest the other. Talons clash in fury as the lighter songbird used all his momentum, all his weight to take down the towering Raptor.

Bit by bit the pillars caught in the crossfire were chiseled to the ground by the Songbird singing its battle cries. The Raptor weaved and countered as if dancing with the smaller bird in a deadly courtship.

With one ear-screeching shriek, the Songbird storms the raptor and claws him to the ground. Small but muscular wings spread out in the air above the pinned bird claiming victory.

A costly victory.

The pillars lying in ruins stunned the Songbird; his nest-siblings nothing but dust and whatever was left bearing his claw marks.

A mass siblicide.

Renewed anger and hate fueling him, the Songbird wrapped his claws around the Raptor's neck, a wing thrashing off the mask to reveal...

_No... NO! Not again!!!_

The cruel shrieks of the Raptor echoed throughout the empty night, cackling in delight.

The Songbird was beating his wings frantically, as if escaping a claustrophobic cage but the Raptor wouldn't let him go. The larger talons gripped the frail bird and flipped him on his back. Sharp claws digging into the flesh of the young bird, the Raptor now spread its own wings casting a shadow over his prize.

As the frantic Songbird's resistance waned under the pain of the talons, all he could hear was the chirp of his captor. Something so soft and delicate that did not befit the monstrous bird.

_"You are mine."_

============================================

Robin gasped for air in pure panic, gulping air as if it was his last. Disoriented, he tried to wipe the sweat from his brow when he realized his arms were restrained on the resting arms of an odd chair.

Failing to free himself, he looked to his side to see the other Titans groggily waking up from their naps. One by one they noticed their unique restraints and finding their struggles futile.

A thick British accented voice called Robin's attention to an orange-haired man, a suit jacket patterned like the British flag and a simple cane.

All Robin could think of at this moment was,_ Whaaaa?!_

* * *

**A/N: **THAT was too long. Took me a long time to write it all up ::dies::

In case it wasn't obvious, the orange-haired chap is Mad Mod. That last line by Robin pretty much summed up my reaction to that episode. Pure PWP entertainment :)

And nope, I won't be covering that episode in the next chapter. I'm desperate to go into Slade/Robin interaction ASAP :)

To Starfire fans out there, I decided not to have a section focused on her and Robin interaction because the show itself is just littered with it. No need to go through what the show already does well.

Lastly, if you've made it this far, a review would be appreciated ::begs::


	3. Act III: Maybe

**(Long) Author's Notes: **Well, it's finally here. Thank you to those who have left reviews (I do read them. I was sorta WOOT when I read that one sorta flame...er, well informing me Robin loves Starfire or wahtever propoganda :D. Considering it's just damning me just for the Slade/Robin vibe, my writing style must be at least acceptable :). Now that I think of it, I think that's my only flame ever for my fics... But then I have horrible memory.

And to Katarik, when I read "recced".....took me a while to understand what that meant. More like my friend explained it to me actually. Yes I can be dense much :D If you're reading this, mind if I ask who/where it was reccomended?

I've actually written the first 5 pages around 3 weeks after chapter 2... Yeah I sorta neglected until now... Lack of season 2 and just not that captivating episodes when I managed to--e-hem, "procure" some episodes. After watching "Haunted" and conversations with my friend, I got back into writing. Also giddy that my ideas for this fic and for future expansion on this story did actually follow the show quite well. The concepts anyway.

**As for the warning of slash/yaoi:**

I've decided to not actively make this slash (in the physical sense). It will most likely have slashy undertones (as if I could resist), but it is not the point of the story. Psychology and interactions between characters are more important to me than to read simple "he humped him" type of content that many expect when they hear "slash/yaoi" (I hope you don't o.o;...for this fic anyways).

The only way I can describe the fine line of straight and yaoi I'm treading with this story, is that if you wish to see slash, you'll probably see it (minus sex). If you don't want to see it, you can ignore it easily (hopefully).

Ok I shut up now. Prepare for 14 pages of boredom XP

To IntoxicatedXtc for slavedriving me to finish this chapter (read her stories now!)

* * *

**Act III: **Maybe

By Cloud Ishida

"_The speed of the boss is the speed of the team."_

- Lee Iacocca

"It's Slade."

Cyborg simply stated. Due to the single lighting of the Research Room, he could only pick out a thin outline of Robin's form. The fine sheets of light shaping into shoulders were oscillating in rapid succession. The faint sounds of gasping for breath rebounded off the walls of the near empty space amplified them to rumbles in the room of silence. But nothing indicated that the figure in the darkness acknowledged him. "Robin, did you hear me?"

It seemed as if everything was going back to normal. Friction was here and their but the Titans were feeling like a team again. It started with their encounter with Mad Mod to the establishment of the T-Car and some newfound closeness between members. They played out their roles according to the script of being a Teen Titan. They all desperately wanted their normality back.

"I heard you Cyborg. I'll be right there." After a moment passed, Robin heard the doors sliding shut to cease the hallway lights tainting the room. He could almost feel the wave of apprehension coming from the half-robot.

Robin followed his script. He followed his role as leader. But the nights were still colder than usual, more silent than usual. The times when he was left alone either by choice or circumstances, his thoughts would retreat to one man.

And so he would still stay in his Research Room, where he could be alone and immerse himself entirely in his work. That was an addition to his script now. It just meant he had dual roles of stern but flexible leader, and the stoic detective determined to prove mysteries are unacceptable. The fact that Slade got the best of him not only with Red X, but with previous engagements as well was intolerable. Losing was not an option in his line of work, or in him.

And he hated losing, even in dreams.

The others couldn't, or wouldn't, understand that. It wasn't a lack of respect for his team mates that Robin came to that conclusion. That drive to win was part of his "powers" as Robin. It was what made him train to reach and surpass his limits to be better than the best. It was what made him be a leader. And because he had to be in order to survive being a fighter for justice among godly mentors and gifted heroes.

And all that he built for himself was being threatened by a single, recurring dream. A dream where he felt all of it, but remember nothing but the disturbing elements that made him wake as if caught in an asthma attack. He was glad he was under the covers of darkness or Cyborg would have thought otherwise to inform him of their night caller.

Realizing he was taking too long to compose himself, Robin finally headed for the all-purpose, room. Years of mastering concentration and tuning out distraction was being undermined by a pathetic dream.

Stupid dream.

Every step was tedious and electric at the same time from knowing the object of his torment was waiting for him...pissed off that Slade was always ahead of him in the race.

And it was a race.

A race Robin had no intention to lose. Who is Slade? It's a question Robin never forgotten but was now overshadowed by a more pressing question.

Why?

Diving deep into introspection, Robin approached the room before he realized he left the Research Room. Without realizing, he absently stepped through the sliding doors to a surreal scene.

Stupid, stupid dream.

Robin stopped frozen before the first step of the stairs. Frantically his mind pushed itself from internal questioning to external preparation.

To prepare himself to see this as nothing more than another criminal taunting their demands to the Titans.

His target was just another criminal--nothing more, nothing less.

Just a criminal. If only your everyday criminal, the Titans would have him behind bars before breaking a sweat. This was Slade on that giant screen, the size magnifying the armoured mystery man's unnatural prestige.

The other Titans were like mice before the lion and faded into a blur of frescos painted on the floor and walls in Robin's view. He either didn't notice them, or couldn't notice them.

With just a fraction of a millimetre shift of that icy blue eye, Slade welcomed the new presence.

Robin couldn't take his eyes off the screen. And he didn't understand why.

It was Slade looking straight at him yet not at the same time; an eye piercing through the screen, across the room, oblivious and cautious of the other Titans. But he was only looking at the boy whose feet seemed to have weld to the floor. So covert was the gaze that the other Titans suspected nothing; letting the unimportant four see what he wanted them to see. They were too preoccupied with their own contempt for the psychopathic criminal to perceive anything else.

And Robin found himself unable to turn away. Even this staring match was a battle, and he didn't want to lose. But it was unbearable being beneath that eye drilling into him. Telling him how above him he was.

So unbearable.

The dream made it so. And the glint in the other's single eye continued its omniscient gaze as if to say, _I know._

That Slade was dreaming too.

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"Time is not on your side."

The screen dissolved into blackness, but Slade took in the view of his prize until the last line of static dissipated.

He looked over his shoulder to where his robotic creations were setting up the finishing touches on the supposed chronotron detonator and readying for transport. The warehouse was only serving as a stage waiting for the main curtain to arise once the Titans arrive.

Despite the lack of uniqueness to the innards of the building, Slade was confident that at least one of the meagre Titans will discover the location. Most likely that robotic hulk of the group, or perhaps the young lady claimed by darkness.

Robin, as he had calculated, seemed to be in no condition to put that impeccable brain into use this night. And he didn't look particularly well rested either.

It was a beautiful sight to see when everything was going to plan.

His taunting of the boy and gauging his reaction, Slade had the boy mentally where he wanted him. It was a guarantee now that Robin would seek him out indefinitely.

All Slade had to do now, was alter the conditions to separate the bird from his flock.

Months of planning, of meticulously going over every fine detail of his plans was about to pay off. Patience had been very kind indeed.

Breaking away from its pack, a droid approached its creator and signalled that the moving preparations were complete. Then, with a wave of Slade's hand, the droid returned to its co-workers and carried its own shared burden of the detonator.

Arms held behind his back, the trigger dangling from his fingertips, Slade followed his minions out of the warehouse. But, not before taking one last look at particular areas of the building's surroundings.

He will have a front row view of the spectacle he hoped to see tonight. The first act of the play of a hero's downfall. By the sole account that would occur under his hidden surveillance, Slade would see if Robin was truly prepared for his influence.

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"Titans, GO!!"

Even if there was an army of him, he would not back down. Robin vaulted with systematic chaos into the throes of battle.

Starfire's grace, Beast Boy's adaptability, Cyborg's resolution and Raven's resolve all interacted as one to make quick work out of their enemies—that is if they were given the chance. Each Titan headed for their unspoken corner of the battlefield to duel with the mindless robotic heaps but never released their first attack.

Robin didn't see the boundaries or limits. As far as he was concerned in this heat of battle, all was fair game, turning it into an all out street fight. He didn't even want to waste time extending his staff, opting to propel it with remarkable precision as a boomerang. Each throw crushed the heads of multiple droids as one by one each metallic creation fell under each bone-crushing blow by the Boy Wonder.

Charging like a bullet train Cyborg readied his fist to strike until a blur caught in his line of vision and skidded to a halt. "Hey, I was gonna do that!" But his voice trailed unheard. The blur of red, green and black streaking in a violent dance, like seeing an untamed animal rebelling against the hunters who want him caged. Cyborg felt as if his systems were being hacked again as his body was transfixed to the ground while he witnessed the carnage. The way Robin was manoeuvring, the way his entire attention and being were freely given to the droids, was starting to unsettle the metal giant.

Starfire found herself looking on in a daze watching Robin berserk through the enemy line. Every kick, every punch, every body slam was not wasted on thin air, but smashed through wires and steel. It was brutality she never witnessed before within her young life. Not even the mechanical accuracy of the droids could match the leader's ice cold attacks. For that one moment, she was quite literally frozen scared, freezing her fists of emerald fury.

Beast Boy felt hands on his back using him as a live vault. Even as an oxen whose sheer weight and size could crush a man, Beast Boy just stood with his jaw sway from the fierce winnow left behind by Robin's flight. And he was flying. The changeling knew that Robin had sentiment for gliding through the untamed air around the city, but that was with a grappler or _something_ to support him, to lead him to the next safe landing. Now--now he was just flying on his own, without the guidance of a line to his next destination.

Raven ceased her incantation with a gasp by the sudden, violent intrusion. With strength and agility one can only describe as superhuman, Robin back flipped as his boots connected with the droid's jaw and crushed the head of another droid behind him in one smooth motion and landed on top of its head. Raven floated in shock though her controlled features expressed mild surprise. Too startled, in the girl's own way, she couldn't understand or acknowledge the sudden flash flood of emotion emanating from the Robin's direction. Too disarrayed yet uniformed to put an emotion to it.

Like frightened children happening upon a domestic fight between their parents, the four Titans witnessed their leader's disturbing behaviour. A lithe boy with a frame that no one would think fathomable that such a small body compared to his opponents could take down an entire army.

And Robin was too focused, too driven to one goal to notice their concern. Too blind to even see them, to even remember they were still there to fight by his side—that he was part of a team. His aggression screamed solitude so loud it was like shriek. They were in two different worlds as Robin continued his onslaught, and one world was blind to the other.

Just as he didn't see "their" world, they didn't see "his" world either.

A world where all this supposed fury, all this supposed rage was reaching the boiling point to this present frustration. These droids were nothing but a distraction had to be dealt fast and hard before the detonator goes off, where ever it is now. There was no time for grace, no time for adapting, no time for resolving, no time for making decisions.

Just act.

Robin wasn't about to let these minor mechanical distractions deter him from reaching his goal and save the city. So that he will succeed and he will win. Considering a chance of failing was equivalent of out-right failure.

And he wanted to show that he was the winner. For all the times Slade has managed to one-up him, Robin wanted to pay back ten-fold.

Pouncing on the last standing droid, Robin stared down on its half-torn face, his make-shift escrima stick poised in the air.

_Patronize me?!_

Slam.

_Mock me?!_

Hard.

_You. Know. NOTHING. _

Fast.

_About. ME!_

"--now. We are victorious..."

He felt his arm gently restrained, and an equally gentle voice calling out to him. The physical contact was reaching him where voices could not.

Still panting from pushing his body to its limits in the attack, Robin slowly lifted his face up to meet the emerald eyes of Starfire. His eyes shifted slightly to the group behind her, all of them wide-eyed and concerned as the alien girl's. But there was also something else floating in the arcs of their stares.

Eyes covertly widened at the sliver of fear staring back at him.

With that truth Robin flapped his wings out of his world, and into those of his friends. A part of him was belittling, that he blindly reduced himself to just an angry boy lashing out at anything he could get his hands on. But it was a fleeting realization, for the task at hand was still unfinished; the danger they've set out to stop was still free to strike. "Slade's got his finger on the button, and we've got nothing! Does that sound like a victory to you?!" Almost slashing aside Starfire's hold, Robin stomped off in heavy footsteps out of the warehouse.

Internally, the small guilt seeded by the realization in his head was weighing down his legs, but that didn't mean the others should see it.

Starfire remained crouched beside the crippled robot beneath her. Her eyes remained wide at the sight as she watched the last of his cape disappearing around the corner of the broken doors and shifted back to the droid. She couldn't help but imagine what if... what if laying before her was a live being behind that mask. It was an image that almost made her empty her stomach, because she realized from what she witnessed, the fatal situation could easily come true.

It was only Beast Boy's voice that cut through the silence with his simple description of the spectacle the just witnessed, to express what everyone was thinking. "Was anyone else _freaked_ out of their minds...?"

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Rewind.

_Precision._

Play.

_Agility._

Stop.

_Domination._

It was watching a ballet warped into mindless violence with the sound of metal crushing and wires sparking as the grand, orchestrated music guiding the dancer. Raw beauty and strength oozed out of every turn and every assault.

Slade widened his lips beneath the steel mask. The trail of seeds to his nest was attracting the songbird directly to him, just as expected. And once again, just as Red X had sought him out on his own, Robin was following him openly by his own free will.

The rhythmic echoes of Robin's uncalled for breaking of the last robot even gave Slade chills run down his back bone. The chills one experiences when anticipation of your desires are manipulated by untold stimulations. Indeed, his choice was the correct one. Not one of his expectations had been broken but rather, the results of his calculations were met with a surplus of agreeable outcomes.

But Slade knew better than to revel prematurely in his progress now. No, the closer he was to reaching his goal, the more he had to tread with caution. As adept and mature Robin was, the boy's emotions were too turbulent and almost impossible to tame if his stubbornness was anywhere near the level of Slade's. Everything he wanted in an apprentice was within his grasp.

Everything but the always elusive loyalty factor.

And it was a factor he intended to mitigate.

A boy like Robin, despite his aggression, a witness and instigator of violence, still had an air of innocence about him. Sappy as it sounded, that innocence was friendship.

Oh no, Slade was not about to let something as pitiful as "_belonging_" stand between him and an eager student. He was to be the one to carve the rough diamond into a flawless treasure that puts all other radiances to shame. A perfect diamond tempered by his hands, and to be shown off as his finest piece of work. The diamond that could cut through anything and everything—at the flick of his own wrist.

Four pathetic children will not get between him and his dream.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Another nuclear sneeze escaped through Starfire's dainty nose. The other Titans slowly shifted out of their defence poses as the alien girl sniffled. Her sneezing was becoming stronger, becoming nuclear bombs with each step. "I believe it is this way." Starfire informed as she rubbed her red nose.

Taking one more glance to make sure Starfire wasn't about to torpedo another one, the team started to move down the sewers. Robin lagged behind, as he replayed the scene at the docks in his head.

The beating. The interrogation. His own words.

"Look, guys...," Robin started, hoping to relieve the human in him of the burden of guilt. Things had been done, things have been said. "About earlier..."

He was greeted with eyes that spoke of nothing and everything. His outburst at the docks challenged their views of him, and Beast Boy made his observation likely shared by the others loud and clear.

And just how those words stung.

It was a syringe invading his ears when Starfire told him, and it was the same when Beast Boy did.

Maybe it was true that he was the one crippling the team.

The part of him that the team accepted as what made Robin leader was becoming the reason for that "massacre" in the warehouse, and their seed of dissident now. There was just a moment where the idea that he wanted to save the city more than anyone of the others, to right a terrible wrong more than the others. It was a preposterous notion; the young leader knew that. But the fact that for just a fleeting moment, that he was the only obstacle between Slade and domination was the guilt seeded in his mind.

That the others were tools for his need for justice.

"Whatever it is, it'll have to wait." Raven answered for the team. She purposefully pointed to the drone loading its deadly cargo.

Already leaving the thought behind by the sight of how close they were to finishing the hunt, Robin reverted to calculating leader again. "Titans, go!"

Taking the point, Robin failed to realize the shaking of the walls, and a crash of debris flew out. A brick barely missed his head, but a large one with a life of its own and curled around his loose arm and all too late felt himself seized through the hole.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Right on schedule. Even the lowliest of pawns have a critical use on the playing field.

Slade watched as the bird dived and fluttered from one pillar to the next in robotic precision. Cinderblock clumsily followed from behind, failing to think ahead of his prey.

But one didn't expect much from pawns anyways.

Robin sent off the four Titans to save the city while he slowed the goliath down for the benefit of his team mates.

How... predictable.

Though that is what anyone would observe, but of course, Slade isn't anyone.

It wasn't pure altruism fuelling the heart of this Titan. No, Slade sensed--_knew_ more was at play than surmised.

This wasn't a truly selfless endeavour the dear songbird has taken upon himself. It was all to bide time, and information. And that fire was fuelling the seemingly unnatural strength Robin was emitting to take down the walking pile of cement... Imagine all that, just to find him.

Slade watched as Robin unnaturally flipped Cinderblock down with all his weight and momentum and gently land on the living boulder's chest. He watched the lips as it mouthed for his whereabouts. The boy eyed the coincidental blueprint to the lair.

Though Slade's warning of not killing the boy may have played a hand as well in Cinderblock's defeat, it was still a satisfying battle. Catching a smirk, the one eye watched until the bird disappeared into the darkness with only the blinking lights on the digital map signalling his journey down the sewer Styx.

Just as Slade thought.

How predictable indeed.

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Robin waded through the running water, gradually coming to a shallow halt to steel runs to another tunnel. Not wanting to alert possible triggers around the opening, he took out a compact blow torch and steadily cut through each run. Placing the homing map to his belt, Robin gently took the loose runs in his free hand and carefully set them in the trickling water about his boots.

Delicate, but deadly with speed and precision, in a mere minute there was an opening big enough for him to get through and continued following the map.

Lower and lower he climbed down into the earth. Steel hallways that shouldn't exist shielded the structure from rocky instabilities. Robin didn't even notice it was quite warm despite the cold glare of metal staring back at him. The chill of raw earth failed to crawl into the floor of the underground structure. A perfect sign someone took the area as a home.

Robin, so engrossed with the map, only looked up once every thirty-three steps, and only at corners. He measured that he climbed 246 metres deep and probably ran 168 metres though the snaking hallway. Quite a bit away from the others... Though he didn't know exactly where the others were now. A minor lapse in thought he should look over.

His hands tightened and his eyes narrowed as he the encircled "S" grew larger with every step he took.

Soon Robin hit a dead end. But the mark on the digital map was screaming to him that the target was on the other side. A gloved hand rested on that wall, feeling the coolness fighting a war against the heat emanating from his body. Even the heat from the floor was quieted to submission by his blaze.

So here it was.

Just a single wall separating the two; just a simple cataclysm to breach it.

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"Then, we are victorious?" Starfire meekly inquired of their success. None of the four Titans even felt a feathering of pain from the laser blasts. Nothing on Cyborg's sensors called for any attention to danger. From the looks of it all, it seemed as if the answer to Starfire's question was a yes.

Beast Boy not wanting to bathe in the nauseating sewer water anymore, fluttered as a tiny hummingbird out to the boat that carried what they now knew was a fake chronotron detonator. As he landed he morphed smoothly into a dog and feverishly shook his body to throw off excess water. Reverting to human again, he continued to bang one side of his head to knock out more liquid in his pointy ear on the other side, "So, how's about we get movin' before we smell like—unmentionables for a week?"

"I second that." Cyborg agreed and held out a hand to a waiting Starfire floating above him. She hefted the half-robot like a basket of flowers towards the boat.

Raven landed behind and started to wring out the water from her damp cape. Then she left it for her mind to twist her cape dry as she heard Cyborg calling for their leader on his wrist communicator.

None of the Titans heard a reply from the other end of the line. Four pairs of eyes glanced at one another looking to see if the other was worried.

Cyborg felt a grip on his arm. "Robin? Please answer us..." Starfire leaned into his wrist urgently asking for Robin to answer. When still no response, she took out her own communicator as she darted out through the canal to where they last saw their fearless leader.

Without a word Beast Boy evolved to a hawk to catch up with the alien while Raven held Cyborg by the hands as she used her dark magic to help support his weight.

As the three neared to the gaping hole in the wall, they heard Starfire shouting in the empty subterranean. "Robin?! Please no more hide and go-seeking. We've discovered the rouse of the detonator so there is no more trouble so please let us just go home now..." The others couldn't tell if she was pleading with the walls or to the silent communicator.

There was no sign of Cinderblock or Robin. No blood splattered the walls to say the worse has happened, but the tall tale signs of battle, with the crumbled columns and hand-made potholes by giant fists only served to fuel that leaving their leader alone was not the best of ideas.

"My sensors aren't picking up his communicator..." Cyborg reported. He eyed more of the shattered stones than at his readout on his arm.

Closing her eyes for mere moments, Raven tried to feel any traces of Robin's mind. "If he's close by I would have sensed him. He's not here."

"But where can he be? We left him right here and he must have won the fight against Cinderblock and he should have caught up with us or at least have waited and—"Starfire felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her string of words.

"Just chill, Star. He probably just... chased Cinderblock outside." Beast Boy attempted to calm the agitated alien, but he wasn't doing a good job of hiding his own apprehension.

The last image of Robin single-handedly taking down an entire army of robots did not fade. And in the light of that memory was what invoked their quiet worry on what happened in the area they were standing in. Did their leader go too far? Is he injured someplace and unable to contact them?

"We should go to the surface." Cyborg snapped the others out of their thoughts. "The radio frequencies must be having a hard time penetrating through underground."

Reluctantly, they took the advice and headed for the nearest manhole cover. Starfire taking one last look at the destruction was nudged along to the surface by Cyborg. As he stayed behind the group, he heard a small warning sound of a locator being terminated.

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"No way would I _ever_ work for—" Robin eyed the peculiar cylinder exposed to his line of vision in Slade's hand.

"_If _you join me, if you swear to serve me, if you never speak to your friends again, I will allow them to live." Slade let the scenario sink in to his newest protégé, the expression on the younger face exactly what he expected. "But..." Oh how he wanted to extend that expression of utter surprise—to know he had won, "if you disobey, even the smallest request, I will _annihilate_ them Robin... _And I'll make you watch."_ And there is that look of defiance again. Such a brave front to hide the delicate melody of despair. "So, do we have a deal?"

Silence permeated the air. Robin was at a loss of words. This... this was nothing he had ever expected. He wanted fists to fly and weapons to clash to determine the outcome, not this. He was being beaten with words.

Badly.

Losing was never an option open to him. He can't be--he won't be beaten by this man who insists he knows more about himself than he. It was a battle he expected to win like all other battles because he never, ever, accepted anything less.

Rage flooded his veins again, and a scowl to even scare the devil himself painted his face. "How do I know what you say is true? For all I know, this is all a sick bluff." Although he knew in the dark recess of his mind, Slade does not joke. Not in the normal sense of the word.

Robin could almost hear the smile behind that infernal mask. "How can you be sure I am 'bluffing'?" _A disappointing comeback to such a threat_, Slade amused. He was flattered even more that Robin truly did not even speculate that all of his plans and ruse was for him. The boy truly didn't have anything to say to challenge his own current position of power.

How naive.

"You expect me to believe, you wouldn't push that trigger when you feel like it? Do you expect me," Robin spat out that twisted word, "...to _trust_ you?!"

"How can you risk not to?" Slade countered smoothly and concise.

The arrogance fattening the reply repulsed the boy. His fists shook with rage demanding for release. His legs trembling to spring forward and silence that man for good. But he just couldn't move. He couldn't let himself go berserk when one stupid move on his part is a consequence on the others. Words were useless in his state of mind while hate was brewing inside him, only giving him fuel to utter two pitiful words. "Fuck you."

Slade would have laughed loudly with his head held back at that immature remark if he didn't know that Robin always looked for openings in an opponent. It was phrases like that that helped him remember Robin was still a teenager—a mere child. Instead, he just tilted his head to the side in amusement, the remark not even denting his armour. "You need some lessons on respecting your elders, young man."

"You have done nothing to earn it." Robin retorted. He was not one to be lectured on. Not by his friends, and certainly not by his enemy.

Silence returned again, but didn't last long. Slade walked quietly to the side, into the shadows. Robin did not dare move though his body threatened him to. Risk chained him to the floor he was standing on. He could hear a faint click of a lock, squeak of metal and another click. A door, of a cage perhaps, Robin thought.

"I understand your scepticism Robin." Slade emerged with a tiny bundle in his hands. "It's one of many qualities I'm fond of about you."

Robin's stance slightly faltered from what almost sounded like... a compliment? Despite trying to be ready for anything, that particular description with that particular word was not what he expected.

As Slade approached closer with his large hands concealing whatever he held. Defending to the side of caution, Robin took a step back when Slade was approaching too close for his comfort. Though being in the same room with him was enough to make him connect fist to metal.

Without a word, Slade revealed a tiny kitten; its small stature made more prominent in his single, large hand.

An understandable look of confusion wrinkled Robin's face. There was no sign of disease or maltreatment by its current owner. The soft, ivory white fur of the delicate animal bobbed up and down in rhythm of its breathing. Delicate mews were the only sound floating in the room besides the grinding of gears. In all its appearance, it looked like a healthy kitten playfully licking Slade's finger.

It felt so wrong.

The image before him was a living oxymoron to Robin. Something disturbing underlined all this as the feline was outstretched to him, offering the precious kitten to the bird.

"She won't bite." Slade remarked, watching the gears in Robin's head working. What was he planning? Is it Slade's pet? Why is he showing this to me? Is he truly crazy?

The kitten lost interest in Slade's finger, and turned her attention to the boy she was showcased to. Soft mews carried out to him, asking to be held by another for new smells and play. Slade held his hand out steadily, waiting for the other to acknowledge the kitten's request to be held.

Watching the kitten outstretching her paw much too far, Robin caught the little bundle before she fell off the still hand. Immediately the kitten played with his fingers, sniffing and licking the green glove. If Starfire was there, she would have melted at the sight of Robin holding such an adorable creature. "What is this about?" The coldness in his voice contrasted sharply with his gentle hold on the kitten.

Slade retracted his hand, and turned to walk towards the monitors. He listened to the purrs of a content animal. It was amazing sometimes, how something so tiny could soften even the most hardest of hearts.

But, pitifully helpless against intellect.

Keeping his back turned while observing the cells of the four Titans, Slade revealed another trigger, smaller than the one before. "A demonstration." Casually, he pressed the button.

Robin held his breath as the kitten suddenly glowed orange and red. Purrs changed into pain-induced hisses. Claws blindly dug into his hand as he tried to calm the flustered animal. The young leader looked from the obviously agonized kitten to Slade's back. "What are you doing?! Slade!!" Robin felt something much too warm soaking his gloves. He looked down, eyes growing wide at the sight of green turning almost black, stained in blood.

Red liquid spilled horribly too much and too fast from every orifice. Vomits of blood and crimson tears, so much blood clogged her throat that only gurgles emitted to express distress. Whatever attempts he performed to alleviate the pain as much as possible was returned with louder and bloodier cries. Afraid of the kitten falling out of his hand through violent spasms, Robin quickly knelt down to the floor, almost dropping the dying feline on the ground.

He was transfixed, eyes growing wider and wider. He forgot the blood on his hands, or the overflowing pool of blood from the kitten expanding to stain his knees. Amidst the glow of orange and red, the eyes locked onto him, as if accusing him for the pain.

And those cat's eyes were so much like Starfire's. Oh god if that kitten was... Then the image of Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy replaced the dying, if not already dead kitten.

All too long after the gurgles and cries ceased, the glow dissipated. A mass of fur soaked completely in thick, dark red blood saturated it. Robin stared, dumbfounded, something so lively dead so fast. Only the sound of an all too calm voice reminding him, that the other was still in the room.

"Now." Slade stood with his back still turned to the boy kneeling before the lake of red. "Do we have a deal?"

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"We should split up." Cyborg suggested, though sounded more like an order by the sound of his voice. Starfire was continuously trying to contact Robin before he informed the group his locater was terminated.

Raven shifted slightly to his side. As she expressed unintentionally or not, she had the most personal experience in the art of control, and it felt like instinct that she would have a say of authority in their leader's absence. "Starfire, Beast Boy," she waited until their eyes set upon her, "you two search above ground. Cyborg, you continue searching underground. I'll head back to the tower and use the computer's extended sensors to locate traces of his communicator signal." While the others nodded in agreement, Raven waited for an objection from Star, having the feeling that she wanted to remain in the tunnels where Robin was last seen.

The alien did open her mouth to say exactly what Raven predicted, but thought better of it. It was tactically obvious that she and Beast Boy were the best to search above ground. Starfire's aerial aptitude was unmatched, and the changeling was able to see through the eyes of a hawk. Cyborg's internal sensors, his sight would have extended beyond walls. With Cyborg stationed underground, Raven was the logical choice for computer work since next to Robin and the half-robot; she had the best aptitude with the main computer.

Beast Boy almost had to run to catch up with Starfire as she accelerated up into the dusk sky. The two remaining Titans could hear Star resuming her pleading into her communicator.

Raven hovered above the street to leave for the tower, but stopped as she took in the sight of Cyborg just standing there. Something was weighing his mind and it didn't take empathy to figure that out. "Something wrong?" She flatly asked. Stupid question, she knew, but there wasn't another that fit the moment.

The events of the night weighed on his mind. The one on one talk between him and Robin weighed his mind. It was almost like... Robin knew this would happen. It was an outrageous thought. But it felt like he was planning it all along since the birth of Red X.

Feeling the dark girl's gaze still on him, Cyborg turned his head over his shoulder, eyes solemn. "Everything."

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Robin stared at the new uniform set before him. The colours, the style, everything in the image of Slade.

Like branding an ownership on his soul.

Slade circled around him, observing any physical display of emotion. But the boy stood rigid, eyes firmly attached to the clothes he had "requested" he wear as the beginning of a new life. He was without a trace of anger or hate lingering in fists or face. It could be he was in shock, or merely the boy's way of dealing with change.

More likely, he was figuring out how to defeat his opponent.

That sharp, analytical mind was another aspect of Robin's personality Slade agreed with. Everything was not over unless the self admitted so. So long as the self believed there was a tomorrow, than the spirit can never be broken.

Of course it was also a deterrent for his goal. But Slade just had to convince the boy that his tomorrow was in the palm of the one-eyed man's hand. "I hope it fits. It was quiet difficult to calculate exactly the measurements. But I think you'll grow into it." The voice sounded too sure of himself.

His guest turned his head so slightly one would say he was still acting like a statue. But Slade caught it as it was his business to know every detail no matter how insignificant and petty. Robin felt air ready to vibrate his vocal cords but thought better of it. It seemed much better than he not question how Slade "calculated" such private information.

The silent treatment. _How... petty._ Petty, yet again, expected. Slade just smiled under the cover of his mask.

Ah, which reminded him...

Slade stood in front of the former Boy Wonder, holding out an inanimate object to him this time. "A gift."

Shifted into Robin's line of vision was a mask very much his own. Only tiny wisps at both corners added a touch of uniqueness. He stared at the masking staring back at him, and then looked up at an expected Slade's eye.

"I'd like to see how it looks on you." The absolute politeness of that order was enough to nauseate his guest.

Wearily, Robin shifted his attention back to the mask, and didn't at all like how it drilled into his thoughts. But pride had to be crushed for now.

He had to do this. His friends were counting on him even if they didn't know it.

Even if he had to beat it into them that he was protecting them.

As if on automatic, he raised his gloved hand still stained with blood and held the life he would have to lead from that point on. Once he wore it, Robin would be no more.

The new suit was something he could handle; it was only a fashion statement compared to this. In his view, Slade just standing there while he ripped his own mask off was equivalent to a striptease. To be naked in front of a hated enemy was the worse humiliation someone with his kind of pride would die from. And the humiliation of the symbol he loathed tattooed on his face.

That he had been marked by Slade.

Defiance to such slander was buried by the fresh memory of blood. Slowly, grudgingly, Robin raised his free hand to his own mask, his arm suddenly feeling like it was chained to a ton of weight.

But, something happened he didn't expect.

Slade, with satisfaction carved into his eye, turned around. Away from him.

Robin froze his arm, his body truly turned to stone this time. Such a simple movement crashed onto him like a tsunami. Was he toying with him? Did he expect him to take the initiative and attack?

As if he sensed the aroma of bewilderment, Slade ever so slightly turned his eyeless side of his face towards the other. "We both understand the value masks."

Subconsciously, Robin knew exactly what Slade meant, and it fanned the flames of hate even more. His thoughts being shared with—

Robin shook that disturbing thought from his head. _Don't dwell on it or you'll lose the bigger picture,_ he told himself. And he was doing a pitiful job at it.

Feeling enough time had elapsed, Slade turned eyeless side first, and beheld the figure before him. The new decoration fit flawlessly, a sense of pride filling him. Even without the suit, Robin radiated the image befitting of an apprentice.

Finally, the fruits of his labour ripened to his satisfaction.

He stepped up to his short protégé, a hand reaching towards the slender chin with a curled finger lifting it. The look of defiance made a comeback, but the mask caged it well.

"Perfect."

* * *

From this point on, it won't focus on episodes anymore (until probably the last chapter). Mainly because my biggest if only complaint about the "Apprentice" episodes is Robin is a "bad guy" for way to short a time. Probably just for the night, wasn't it? 

Anyways, I had to change some writings from the first 5 pages since it seemed that there's some other fics that have used the same type of wording. So instead of risking "COPY CAT!!!11" reviews, I erred on the path of caution (ie: bad editing :D).

If anyone is interested, I wrote a really informal (read as: incoherent) essay on analyzing "Haunted". If there is enough interest, I might post a link to it in this chapter, or in my profile or something.

And what the hell is wrong with ff dot net (yes I can't even put that down as an abbreviated link)? Can't even use asterixes any more? Or any symbol for that matter?!

Hopefully, next chapter won't be taking so long......or 14 pages :::dies:::

Leave a review if you feel like it :)


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